Abide (1961) epimeno by Greek Word Studies

Continue (1961) (epimeno from epí = upon, in or at + méno = abide, endure, continue, stay or remain > epí intensifies the meaning and so this word is a strengthened form of méno and gives the force of adherence to and persistence in what is referred to) means literally to tarry, to stay at or with, to abide in, to continue in. The most common usage of epimeno in the NT is the literal picture of one abiding, remaining on, tarrying or staying at a place (10.48" class="scriptRef">Ac 10:48, 21:4, 10, 28:12, 14, 1Co 16:7, 8, Ga 1:18) Figuratively epimeno means to persist in (Jn 8:7), to persevere or to continue in an activity (Ac 12:16) or state, such as in a state of sin in Romans 6:1, in the faith in Colossians 1:23 (note), in the work of teaching in 1Ti 4:16. In which of these are you "persisting", beloved? Epimeno is the word that John used of the determined Jewish leaders who persisted in trying to induce Jesus to contradict the law of Moses But when they persisted (epimeno) in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:7). Thus Vine writes that epimeno "indicates persistence in what is referred to" which in Ro 6:2 is sin! Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible says that... The believer's position in Christ shows the utter impossibility of a true believer continuing in sin. The word "continue" means to practice or to habitually yield to sin. A true believer no longer practices sin and no longer yields to sin. He cannot live without sin, not totally, but he no longer lives in sin...Note another fact: when a man turns to God, he turns away from sin (1Th 1:9). It is a contradiction to say that when a man turns to God he turns to more and more sin. Epimeno - 16x in 16v - John 8:7; 10.48" class="scriptRef">Acts 10:48; 12:16; 21:4, 10; 28:12, 14; Ro 6:1; 11:22, 23; 1Cor 16:7, 8; Gal 1:18; Phil 1:24; Col 1:23; 1Tim 4:16. NAS = continue, 4; continued, 1; persevere, 1; persisted, 1; remain, 4; stay, 2; stayed, 3; staying, 1. There is one use of epimeno in the non-apocryphal Septuagint ( LXX) - Ex 12:39. John 8:7 - see above Acts 10:48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days. Acts 12:16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed. Acts 21:4 And after looking up the disciples, we stayed there seven days; and they kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem. Acts 21:10 And as we were staying there for some days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Acts 28:12 And after we put in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. Acts 28:14 There we found some brethren, and were invited to stay with them for seven days; and thus we came to Rome. Romans 6:1 (note) What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? Romans 11:22 (note) Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 11:23 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again. 1 Corinthians 16:7 For I do not wish to see you now just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits. 8 But I shall remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; Galatians 1:18 Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. Philippians 1:24 (note) yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake Colossians 1:23 (note) if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. 1 Timothy 4:16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere (present imperative) in these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. Epimeno was used to describe someone abiding in some one’s home as a guest with the idea of fellowship, cordial relations, dependence and social intercourse. Luke uses epimeno with the literal meaning to describe the request of new converts to Peter asking "him to stay on (epimeno) for a few days." (Acts 10:48) and with the figurative meaning describing when Peter "continued (epimeno) knocking" (Acts 12:16) and of Paul and Barnabas' urging of the new converts "to continue (epimeno) in the grace of God" (Acts 13:43). Paul uses epimeno twice in Romans 11 writing... Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue (epimeno) in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue (epimeno) in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again. (see note Romans 11:22-23) Epimeno was sometimes used of a person’s purposely living in a certain place and of making it his permanent residence. How is it possible that a believer can take permanent residence in the house of sin? Wuest in fact paraphrases it this way... they "asked him to be their guest for certain days." It's as if Paul were asking can a true believer stay on as a house guest of sin? Furthermore, Paul's use of the present tense speaks of this abiding as continual. The idea is that the abiding under the rule and reign of Sin is habitual. Paul was not speaking of a believer’s occasional falling into sin, as every Christian does at times because of the weakness and imperfection of the fallen flesh. But he was speaking of intentional, willful sinning as an established pattern of life. He is saying that a genuine believer does not continually live in habitual sin in the same way as they did when they were unsaved. If that is true of someone you know, they need to soberly read 2Cor 13:5. S Lewis Johnson adds that Paul is not asking... about whether one may lapse into sin, but as Shedd says, "he cannot contentedly ‘continue in sin,’ without any resistance of it and victory over it." (Romans 6:1-14) Phillips paraphrases it this way... "Shall we sin to our heart's content and see how far we can exploit the grace of God?" Or to phrase it another way... Shall we habitually sustain the same relationship to the sinful nature that we sustained before we were saved, a relationship which was most cordial, a relationship in which we were fully yielded to and dependent upon that sinful nature, and all this as a habit of life? Paul's question also has theological implications. Specifically, the question is whether there is any relationship between justification and sanctification? In other words, can a person really be saved (justified) and yet continue in the same pattern of sinfulness (lack sanctification)? Can there be a divine transaction that has no impact in the believer's life? The answer is note just of theoretical interest, but has eternal ramifications! Paul had already once alluded to distortion of the doctrine of the gospel of grace asking and why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say), “Let us do evil that good may come”? Their condemnation is just. (Romans 3:8-note) This argument is apparently exactly what opponents were leveling against the gospel of the grace of God (What a great description of the "Gospel" = Acts 20:24), crying out If you could be saved just by faith alone in Christ alone, then you could go out and live in sin. Their argument was that the gospel of grace provided not only a license to sin, but outright encouragement to do so. Jude addressed a similar issue warning his believing readers of the need to contend earnestly for the faith because certain persons have crept in unnoticed (aorist tense, indicative mood = a historical reality, stealthily, literally get in by the side like gaining entrance secretly by a side door), those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly (asebes = destitute of reverential awe toward God) persons who turn (metatithemi in the present tense = continually transposing two things one of which is put in place of the other) the grace of our God into licentiousness (aselgeia = acknowledging no restraints, daring whatever their caprice and wanton petulance suggested) and (present tense = continually) deny (arneomai = disown, disclaim connection with) our only Master (despotes = one who is the absolute owner and has uncontested power over another) and Lord, Jesus Christ." (Jude 1:4) A famous historical instance of such perversion of the gospel of grace is found in the notorious life of the Russian monk Grigori Rasputin, who dominated the ruling family of Russia, the Romanovs, and became a very influential favorite of Czar Nicholas II. Rasputin taught the perverted "gospel" that salvation came through repeated experiencing of sin and repentance. He argued that because those who sin more require more forgiveness, those who sin with abandon will as they repent experience greater joy. Therefore, he reasoned, it was the believer’s duty to sin. In other words Rasputin's doctrine seems to have been "The more a person sins, the more grace he will receive. So sin with gusto.” At times this type of thinking has been intellectualized, as in the last century in James Hogg’s "Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner". Today this thinking is very common among those who wish to justify their sexual lifestyles. Robertson comments that There are occasionally so-called pietists who actually think that God’s pardon gives them liberty to sin without penalty (cf. the sale of indulgences that stirred Martin Luther). (Robertson, A. Word Pictures in the New Testament) The idea expressed in Paul's question is alluded to by the inveterate God hater Voltaire's presumptuous declaration that... God will forgive; that is His ‘business.’ W. H. Auden (widely considered among the greatest literary figures of the 20th century - in his early 20's he lived in Berlin, where he took advantage of the sexually liberal atmosphere) voiced a similar sentiment writing "I like committing crimes. God likes forgiving them. Really the world is admirably arranged." Oh, how Rasputin, Voltaire and Auden needed to hear and heed the truth of Romans 6! Michael Andrus writes that You are not a Christian because you lead a Christian lifestyle. Rather you lead a Christian lifestyle because you are a Christian. There are tens of millions of religious people in this country of ours and countless millions in other lands, who are staking their eternity upon the notion that they are Christians because they try to lead a relatively Christian lifestyle. But if that were possible, why do you suppose the Apostle Paul, the greatest Christian theologian and missionary of all time, would have spent three chapters talking about justification before he ever got to the subject of how to live the Christian life? The simple truth is that you can imitate a Christian life, and you can fake a Christian life, but you cannot really live a Christian life until you are one. (from "A Call to Holy Living") Ray Stedman writes... I heard of a man in this congregation who admitted that he was a homosexual and was living as one. He claimed that he did not need to make any change in his life because, as a Christian, his sins are forgiven. (for full sermon click Can we Go on Sinning?) The great Puritan writer John Owens used to say a pastor has only 2 problems: persuading unbelievers they are under the dominion of sin persuading believers they are not under the dominion of sin! Go figure! Hendriksen describes Another and far more recent example from life: this man was an ardent evangelist. One of his favorite passages was taken from this very chapter of Romans, “You are not under law but under grace” (see note Romans 6:14). He spoke persuasively, drawing large crowds. However, his immediate neighbor never went to hear him. When someone asked that neighbor, “How is it that we never see you in his audience?” the answer was, “Because I happen to know that his back yard is filled with stolen property.” (Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. New Testament Commentary Set, 12 Volumes. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House) THE KEY TO ACCURATELY INTERPRETING ROMANS 6-8: WHAT DOES "SIN" MEAN? Kenneth Wuest draws our attention to the little word SIN writing that The first thing we must settle is regarding the word sin, is whether it refers (in context) to sin as an abstraction, namely, to acts of sin committed by the believer or to the totally depraved nature still in him? A rule of Greek syntax settles the question. The definite article (Ed note: Definite article equates with the Greek word for "the") appears before the word (Sin) in the Greek text. Here the article (the) points back to a previously mentioned sin defined in its context. The reference is to sin reigning as king (Ro 5:21-note). There sin is personified since it reigns as a king. But one cannot conceive of acts of sin reigning as king in the life of a person. They (individual acts of sin) are the result of some dominant factor reigning as a king. That can only be the evil nature still resident in the Christian. And here is the key to the interpretation of the entire chapter (6" class="scriptRef">Romans 6). Every time the word sin is used in this chapter as a noun, it refers to the evil nature in the Christian. Read the following verses and substitute the words sinful nature for the word sin, and see what a flood of light is thrown upon your understanding of this section of God’s Word (Ro 6:1, 2, 6, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23). (Bolding and color added) (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Studies in the Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament: Grand Rapids: Eerdmans) Related Resources: More Discussion on "The Sin" See list of all uses of hamartia in Ro 5-8 Another way of looking at this issue is to note that in this verse sin is singular (in contrast to plural sins as in Ro 3:25-note, Ro 4:7-note, Ro 11:27-note - the only 3 uses of "sins" plural in Romans) and does not refer to the ongoing death of specific sins which is part of our spiritual growth or sanctification. Rather the term sin in this verse refers to sin as a controlling power and as an enslaving tyrant, who prior to our salvation held "full sway" over our moral/ethical decisions! Paul's point is that believers have died in relation to the power sin was had over us as believers. And remember, it does not make one whit of difference whether or not you "feel" like this is true in your life. Paul's point is that if you are genuinely regenerate by the Spirit, you have been set free from the ruling power of the old tyrant Sin. He does not say you will never commit individuals sins again, for all believers still have the unredeemed (and unredeemable!) fallen flesh nature that seeks to coerce us to miss God's mark (sin) or sidestep His perfect path (transgression, trespass). At the time of Justification believers are set free once and for all from the ruling power of sin, but now in sanctification we must daily, moment by moment fight the battle with our residual, dethroned enemy and we now can do so infused by and controlled by God's Spirit (cp Ro 8:13-note). J H Jowett has a strong warning for those who would trifle with sin writing that... Sin is a blasting presence, and every fine power shrinks and withers in the destructive heat. Every spiritual delicacy succumbs to its malignant touch...Sin impairs the sight, and works toward blindness. Sin benumbs the hearing and tends to make men deaf. Sin perverts the taste, causing men to confound the sweet with the bitter, and the bitter with the sweet. Sin hardens the touch, and eventually renders a man "past feeling." All these are Scriptural analogies, and their common significance appears to be this--sin blocks and chokes the fine senses of the spirit; by sin we are desensitized, rendered imperceptive, and the range of our correspondence is diminished. Sin creates callosity. It hoofs the spirit, and so reduces the area of our exposure to pain. (from The Grace Awakening) THAT GRACE MIGHT INCREASE: hina hê charis pleonasêi (3SAAS): (Torrey's Topic Grace) That (2443) (hina) means so that, for the purpose of and as in this sentence is usually connected with a verb in the subjunctive mood. ANTI-NOMIANISM Who would even ask such a question? Answer? An anti-nomian (anti = against, instead of + nomos = law) is literally one who is against the law, one who advocates "spiritual lawlessness", one who wants to live their life without any encumbering rules whatsoever, one who wants to do as they please. A good "working definition" is found in the OT, in the days of the Judges 21:25-note. Judges is a book which encompasses about 25% of all of Israel's OT history! Have you ever read it? If not, you need to! And as you do, think of "America the Beautiful" and the leaven of lawlessness beginning to spread and defile our beloved land! Revive us O LORD, according to Thy Word (Ps 119:25-note)! Now back to anti-nomianism, the belief that "As long as I believe in Jesus, I have a "fire insurance policy" and I am now free to live any way I want." Can you see the paradox? Out of one side of his mouth, this person says, "Sure I love Jesus" but out of the other side of his mouth "I sure love sin!" -- a bad case of "spiritual schizophrenia"! A veritable spiritual "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde!" "I love Jesus' teachings, but I don't care to follow them!" You get the idea. And you can see how this genre of individual might espouse the fallacious doctrine of more sinning = more grace! In a word Paul says "Wrong!"

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Abide (1961) epimeno

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